News

Alia swears-in three new LG Council Committee Chairmen

Published

3 months ago

February 27, 2024

NewsDirect

By Titus Atondu, Makurdi

The Benue State Governor, His Excellency Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia has sworn-in three new Local Government Council Committee Chairmen for some local government councils in the state with a call on them to justify the confidence reposed in them by being accountable and transparent while carrying out their responsibilities.

The swearing-in is coming after the three former council chairmen were removed by the Benue State House of Assembly in one of their sittings on the grounds of mismanagement and appropriation of local government Internally Generated Revenue.

Addressing the appointees during the swearing in at Benue Government House, the Governor said with their appointments, they were to re-inject vibrancy in the administration of local governments.

The Governor added that, local government being the third tier of government, is critical to the operation of his administration since it plays a major role in the provision of social services to the people.

He cautioned the Council Chairmen against mismanagement of resources, admonished them to provide the needed change in their respective council areas saying that there is no room for financial mismanagement.

The Governor re-echoed his administration’s readiness towards ensuring accountability and adherence to due process in governance.

He advised the Council Chairmen to be guided by the principles of good governance, transparency and accountability at all times and expressed confidence in the ability of the Chairman to lead and serve with distinction.

In his words, the Governor said, “Your predecessors are disengaged because of their lack of commitment, lack of dedication, lack of responsibility and accountability and transparency.

“These are things you can never do, you must not have those elements. You must stay transparent, you must be reputable, people’s lives are handed over to you in these local governments.

“You are supposed to protect them, you are not supposed to be the ones moving out there creating more chaos or more crises. Rather, you must be seen as the true leaders who are working for the people and on their side.

“You are not sent out to create division, that is not what Benue needs. We need a unified force, the state needs oneness, and a common goal of purpose.

“We need to up our game for development and growth in the state, we need to give people that true service, the government works so hard that everyone one will thrive in their businesses.

“You are the primary mechanism to help people realise the government’s contribution in their lives and lives of their local government.

“These are troubling times for the entire nation, we have lots of inflation and food insecurity. In the state, the government is trying to get people back to their farms, the IDPS are to be in safe hands until they return to their ancestral homes. Be the shining examples and follow due process in carrying out all works,” the Governor charged the Chairmen.

The newly sworn Council Chairmen include, Hon Verlumun Avar, Gboko LGC, Hon Victor Iorzaa, Ukum LGC and Hon. Justin Shaku, Katsina Ala LGC.

Responding on behalf of the newly sworn council chairmen, Hon Justin Shaku of Katsina Ala Local Government council expressed appreciation to the Governor for the opportunity given them to serve.

He pledged their full support and commitment to the Alia led administration and also promised to ensure massive development is carried out at their various local governments to replicate the transformation agenda of Governor Alia in the state.

While acknowledging Benue people for their show of support to the Alia administration Mr Shaku pleaded with them to continue to rally round the administration to enable it actualise their plans for a better state.

News

Traders, soldiers clash at Banex Plaza in Abuja

Published

2 mins ago

May 18, 2024

NewsDirect

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed intelligence officers to Banex – an electronics and telecommunications gadgets market, in Abuja following a conflict that ensued between soldiers and some traders on Saturday.

A viral video seen by our correspondent on X on Saturday showed a multitude of civilians overpowering some soldiers during a free-for-all fight at Banex.

The Defence Headquarters, and the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments as of press time.

Meanwhile, a trader who simply identified himself as Abdul, told our correspondent on Saturday that the conflict ensued over the sale of a mobile phone.

“There’s a problem at Banex now. Some soldiers came to complain about a phone, and during an argument with the traders, a fight ensued,” Abdul simply revealed.

When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh has deployed officers of the FCT Intelligence Response Team to the scene of the incident.

“The CP has deployed the Intelligence Response Team to the scene,” Adeh confirmed.

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Idris congratulates newly-elected APRA executives

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2024

NewsDirect

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has felicitated the newly-elected Executive Council of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), elected at the 35th APRA Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire from May 13- 18, 2024.

The Minister, also a Fellow of APRA, acknowledged the significance of the election for the advancement of public relations across Africa, adding that while it is a pivotal moment for APRA, the collective expertise, and leadership of the newly-elected Executive Council would be instrumental in attaining the long-term vision of the association.

The new APRA Executive Council comprises Arik Karani from Kenya as President, Dr. Michele Mekeme from Cameroon as Vice President, and Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan from Nigeria as Secretary-General.

Idris urged the new Executive Council to “continue the trajectory of reforms in APRA,” stressing the importance of expanding the democratic space by encouraging greater participation of national public relations institutions across the continent.

He highlighted the need for inclusivity and collaboration to strengthen the public relations profession in Africa.

The Minister also called on the Executive Council to work closely with the African Union Commission and the Council of Ministers to ensure that public relations remains central to policy formulation, programme execution, and project implementation.

“Public relations should be at the heart of policy, programs, and project implementation,” he stated.

He also extended his salutations to Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, the Head of Media Relations at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on his emergence as the Secretary-General of APRA.

“Dr. Ibietan is a thoroughbred journalist, public relations expert, and author, who is expected to bring his enormous wealth of experience to bear on APRA positively,” Idris said.

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Airtel wins big at maiden ICAN-NGX awards

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2024

NewsDirect

Airtel Africa, the leading telecommunications provider in Africa with its stock trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NGX), emerged as a major winner at the inaugural edition of the ICAN-NGX Awards, carting away the Most Outstanding in Financial Reporting and the overall gold across all categories, amidst other nominations.

These honors were announced at a special ceremony held on Friday, 17th May 2024, at the NGX headquarters in Lagos.

Organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in collaboration with NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo), the awards recognized excellence in corporate reporting among the top 30 most capitalized companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the 2022 financial reporting year.

Airtel Africa stood out among other nominees in the areas of Financial Reporting, Corporate Governance, and Sustainability Reporting.
In the highly competitive Financial Reporting Category, Airtel Africa was recognized as Most Outstanding, edging out industry giants such as Dangote Cement Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Seplat Energy Plc, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, and Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc.

Speaking on the awards, Group Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, expressed gratitude for the awards while restating the organization’s enduring commitment to promoting transparency and accountability for the benefit of all stakeholders.

“At Airtel, we strive to set the benchmark for excellence in financial reporting and corporate reporting, and these awards validate our efforts in this regard. We have been deliberate in maintaining a painstaking dedication to transparency for the sake of our shareholders, which is also how we keep our promises to our shareholders,” he said.

Airtel Africa also received the Gold Award in the Corporate Reporting Category. This award, according to Mr. Cruz, underscored Airtel’s culture of fair business practices.

“Today’s recognition reminds us to keep upholding the fundamental principles of integrity, accountability, and ethical conduct across all facets of its operations,” he noted.

In his remarks at the award ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer, NGX Regulation Limited, Mr. Olufemi Shobanjo, stressed the significance of the award, highlighted the importance of transparency and accountability in building a more productive market environment.

“It is noteworthy that integrity is an important drive in ensuring a successful business. In this vein, the Corporate Reporting Award underscores our collective commitment to fostering a capital market that operates on principles of transparency, integrity, and excellence,” he said.

While sharing this positive sentiment regarding the awards, Innocent Okwuosa, the 59th President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), expressed optimism about the future of corporate reporting in the country.

“As sustainability evolves and with Nigeria adopting IFRS S1 and S2 of International Sustainability Standard Board (ISSB),” he said, “it is expected that the corporate reporting in Nigeria will get better and better.”

Airtel Africa remains committed to promoting accountability, transparency, and sustainability in its operations.